Censorship of Films

Northern Advocate, 29 July 1939, Page 3 (Supplement)

Censorship of Films

' Public interest in the censorship of films of a political character is now being aroused in Australia by the attempts to forbid the showing of “The Confessions of a Nazi Spy.”

“The Sydney Morning Herald” reports that the Minister for Trade and Customs (Mr Lawson) was pressed last week-end, by “the German Consular authorities,” to reverse his pre-viously-given decision to permit the exhibition of the picture.

But Mr Lawson has refused to reverse his decision, with the result that the film duly began its Sydney season at the advertised date. Reference has been made in “The Film Weekly” to the wider-and-lwider latitude that is being allowed in America in the production and exhibition of pictures of the character of “The Confessions of a Nazi Spy.”

What is the position in Britain? There, it is clear, a much more timorous at-, titude is being adopted.

Protests Against British Censorship

Among the more recent bannings in England is “Professor Mamlock,” a picture portraying the life of an eminent German specialist, persecuted and shot wholly because of his Jewish descent.

The censoring of “Professor Mamlock” brought vigorous protests from the London trade press. Among other things it is declared that this is a process of appeasement from which the screen should certainly be exempt. “I venture to suggest,” said Mr ‘Mander in the House of Commons, “that it is not the duty of the British Board of Film Censors to deal with political matters of this kind at all. It is

monstrous that they should be allowed to carry on this subtle kind of unofficial political censorship.” Writers in papers in no Way identified with the industry have been similarly outspoken. “In 1937,” it is pointed out, “Ernest Hemingway's ‘Spanish Earth’ was cut to pieces because Hemingway had the temerity to show that Germany and Italy were openly intervening in Spain”—this, too, despite the fact that, immediately following Franco’s conquest of that country early this year, both Germany and Italy publicly boasted of the support that they had given, him from the outset! Evan worse, it is complained, is the censoring of newsreels. Said Mr Mander, in his protest in the House of Commons in this connection:—“Absolutely nothing anti-Fascist is allowed.”

Famous Authorities Refused a Hearing

Active resistance to the cutting of newsreels, it is interesting to note, has come from the News Theatres’ Association —a body representing 90 per cent, of the news theatres in Britain.

Particularly was the N.T.A. resentful of the censoring of the recorded speeches in the Fox Movietone News of Wickham Steed, a former editor of “The Times,” and a widely-recognised international authority; A. J. Cummings, the political editor of “The News-Chronicle”; and Vernon Bartlett. M.P.

Such, then, is what is declared to be the politically-inspired, right-wing censorship that is being exercised in Britain.

Freedom of the press has long been a recognised right. Freedom of the film

is just as important. For this reason — it is contended, by increasing numbers, within and outside the industry —the freedom of the film should be resolutely asserted and established.

It is also stated that the German Consul in New Zealand is understood to have protested vigorously to the N.Z. Government against the release of the film, and that a special screening, attended by most of the members of Cabinet, was given.

The picture has passed the censor. It is arousing considerable interest, and is attracting big houses.